purpose

Wholly Devoted to Christ

November 30, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

The primary goal of my life is to live it wholly devoted to Christ; to become the person He created me to be. My second goal is to instruct and encourage others to do the same. I’ve read and listened to countless exhortations to put God first in your life, or to live a Jesus-centered life. I’ve written those very words on this blog many times.

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What is often missing from these exhortations (and I stand guilty here as well) is an explanation of how to do this in practical terms. How do we center our lives on Jesus and live wholly devoted to Him when myriad distractions are assaulting us every day? How do we live for Heaven and still survive on earth?

Die to Christ

November 26, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

If we can’t die to Christ, we cannot live for Him. This is true in my life and yours. And yet, as I look around, I see so few who are taking this to heart. I see and hear those who call themselves Christians spew venom on social media, pontificate on politics, and concern themselves with so much having nothing to do with the Kingdom. Believe me, I am not immune. I am not some super-Christian who has it all figured out and diligently picks up his cross every day without fail.

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This message applies to me as much, if not more than, it does to everyone else. We can’t continue to live the way we do and call ourselves followers of Jesus. We are living our lives for most of the same things the world does and deceiving ourselves by thinking God is looking the other way.

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Taking the Long View

November 19, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

Joshua Bogunjoko is the International Director for SIM International, a missionary organization with a worldwide outreach. Given his position, he has a unique and informed perspective on what it means to follow Christ in hard times and circumstances. Mr. Bogunjoko writes, “Gaining God’s perspective amid adversity means taking the long view. Our experience of adversity today may be for the work of God in days, months, and years to come. It may be for someone’s encouragement a generation from now.”

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It often seems the work we do for Jesus doesn’t matter. No matter how much we pray, study, and serve, it’s difficult to see the needle moving. But God is always at work, weaving together every event on the human stage—now, in the past, and in the future—to bring about His sovereign will.

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An Abundant Life

October 29, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

As you read through Scripture, you find that Jesus has called us to live an amazing life. We are to be lights shining on a hill (Matthew 5:14). Our lives are meant to be full of abundance and lived to the fullest (John 10:10). Our passion for Jesus should spill out on all those around us (Matthew 25:31-40). To follow Jesus is difficult, but the fruits of our following are phenomenal! We live for a Savior whose love is uncontainable.

To know Jesus is to be consumed by Him. A life surrendered to Jesus is not easy, but it is victorious. It is exciting and beyond comparison. Each morning we awake to new mercies (Lamentations 3:22-23) and new possibilities of what Jesus might do through us. We need only surrender and allow Him to use and live through us.

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Motivated for Mission

October 15, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

Lesslie Newbigin once said, “The deepest motive for mission is simply the desire to be with Jesus where he is, on the frontier between the reign of God and the usurped dominion of the devil.” What drives you to live for Jesus? In a world growing ever more hostile to His name, what keeps you going? Many who profess to be Christians approach life in a laissez-faire manner. They believe in God, maybe Jesus too, but their lives do not reflect their so-called beliefs.

I know it’s taboo to question the sincerity of one’s claim to be a Christian, and I readily admit only God knows the heart of anyone. It just seems to me if the mission of Christ does not consume you, and if the thought of billions of people going to hell does not devastate you, then you have to wonder what was the point of your conversion? Jesus is your Lord, or He is not; there is no other option or middle ground in this.